Meriton
Industry | Construction |
---|---|
Founded | 1963 |
Founder(s) | Harry Triguboff |
Products | Apartments |
Owner(s) | Harry Triguboff |
Website | www.meriton.com.au |
Meriton is an Australian residential property development company founded by Harry Triguboff AO, its managing director, in 1963. It has apartments and serviced apartment accommodation in Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
In 2007, it was estimated the company was building about 1,200 apartments each year.[1] By 2010 this figure had increased to 2,000 units.[2] It is estimated that over the past 50 years, Meriton has built more than 60,000 residential apartments on the east coast of Australia. It also offers serviced accommodation in 13 locations.
In the 2012–2013 financial year, Meriton became Australia's largest apartment builder, and the fourth largest residential builder in the nation.[3]
On November 13th, 2013, Meriton celebrated its 50th anniversary with a party on Sydney Harbour for more than 300 current and former employees, friends, family and dignitaries from the political and business world.
History
Meriton got its start after a young Harry Triguboff built his first home in Roseville, Sydney, in 1960; the builder he'd hired let him down so he completed the job himself and developed a taste for construction. He then took on an eight-block apartment project in Tempe in 1963 with just three staff: the apartments sold for $9750 each, and the car space was an extra $500.
In 1969, he built a development of 18 apartments in Meriton Street, Gladesville NSW, which gave rise to the company name.
'High-Rise Harry', as he became known, built his fortune on tapping into a perceived need for affordable apartment housing,particularly in the rush of post-war migrants from countries where inner-city apartment living was commonplace.
After floating Meriton on the stock exchange in 1969, Harry Triguboff bought back all the company's shares in 1973. Meriton has since remained a privately owned company, shielded from the vicissitudes of the global financial markets.
A downturn in the property market in the 1970s saw Meriton withdraw some of its apartments for sale, and rent them out instead. Residential leasing now forms an important aspect of its business. The other arms of Meriton include strata property management and property financing.
In 1984, Meriton expanded interstate to Queensland, with a focus on Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Properties
World Tower in Sydney, opened by former Prime Minister John Howard, was completed in 2004 and is Sydney's tallest residential building.[4] Meriton is building Infinity Tower, the tallest building in Brisbane.
Infinity on Herschel Street, Brisbane, is set to be 81 storeys high and is due for completion at the end of 2013.[5]
The Soleil site in Adelaide Street was the company's first project in Brisbane. The initial design was rejected by the Brisbane City Council because of its poor design and potential traffic issues.[6] The revised design later won an International Property Award for the Best Residential High-Rise Development in Australia.[7]
Awards
The company has received a number of awards.
- International Property Awards 2013-2014 - Winner, Best Residential High Rise Development in Australia for Soleil on Adelaide Street.[8]
- Urban Taskforce Residential Development Awards 2013 Winner - Residential Development Award for Soleil on Adelaide Street.[9]
- 2012 HIA-CSR Award for Apartment Project 10 Storeys and Over, awarded for ‘Imperial', Haymarket NSW
- 2011 Urban Taskforce Development Excellence Award for Residential Apartments, awarded for 'Portia', Southport QLD
- 2009 Urban Taskforce Development Excellence Award for Affordable Housing
- 2009 National Trust's Energy Australia Heritage Award for Conservation of Built Heritage, awarded for 'Crown Square', Waterloo NSW
- 2003 Best New Building by The Sydney Magazine Readers Poll, awarded for ‘World Tower’, Sydney NSW
- 2002 HIA Award for Australia’s Number 1 Homebuilder
- 1998 Master Builders Association Award for Housing Contributions
- 1995 Master Builders Association Award for Excellence in Housing
- 1992 Master Builders Association Award for Excellence in Housing
- 1990 HIA Award for Top Homes
See also
References
- ↑ Turi Condon (16 May 2007). "Meriton plans 70 storeys in Brisbane". The Australian (News Limited). Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ↑ Turi Condon (8 April 2010). "Harry Triguboff's Meriton to build units on Seven Network site". The Australian (News Limited). Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ↑ Rushton, Gina (September 25, 2013). "Triguboff's Meriton tops HIA's building starts table". The Australian. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
- ↑ World Tower. Emporis. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ↑ http://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/a-sight-for-sore-eyes-the-top-developments-of-the-past-year/2013091265004
- ↑ Fiona Cameron (8 May 2008). "Council rejects Meriton tower". The Australian (News Limited). Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ↑ Asia Pacific 2013 Award Winners. International Property Awards. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ↑ Asia Pacific 2013 Award Winners. International Property Awards. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ↑ Award Winners 2013. Urban Taskforce Australia. Retrieved 2 October 2013.